PHNOM PENH, April 2 (Xinhua) – Luxembourg has pledged €2 million (approximately USD 2.16 million) to support Cambodia’s ongoing efforts to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance, in a significant boost to the country’s post-conflict recovery efforts.
The funding agreement was signed in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, witnessed by visiting Crown Prince Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie of Luxembourg and Senior Minister Ly Thuch, who is also the First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA).
The grant will go toward the Clearing for Results Project, a joint initiative managed by the CMAA and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) aimed at accelerating mine clearance and supporting mine-affected communities.
“Luxembourg’s support is vital to help us reach our goal of a mine-free Cambodia,” said Ly Thuch at the signing ceremony. “This contribution not only saves lives but also allows rural communities to safely reclaim land for farming, housing, and development.”
Cambodia remains one of the world’s most heavily mined countries, with an estimated 4 to 6 million landmines and unexploded munitions left behind from decades of war and internal conflict that ended in 1998.
According to CMAA data, from 1979 to 2024, landmines and explosive remnants of war have claimed 19,834 lives and injured 45,252 people across the country.
The Luxembourg-funded project is expected to enhance clearance operations in high-risk areas, as Cambodia continues its push to meet national demining targets and eliminate mine-related threats to public safety and development.
— XINHUA
